Agriculture Sector Network Chairman and Elgon Kenya Managing Director Bimal Kantaria has been awarded the Productive Business Civility Award by US-based iChange Nations Organization in recognition of his role, investment, and impact in agriculture, education, health, and social services.
The award is set aside for the Top World Civility Leaders who are making a global impact with their businesses, innovations, and initiatives.
“I am honored and humbled to receive the 2021 Productive Business Civility Award along with inspirational great business leaders across the globe who have committed their time and effort to make the world a better place,” said Dr. Kantaria in his acceptance.
Last year, Dr. Kantaria was elected chair of the Agriculture Sector Network (ASNET) the umbrella organization of agribusiness organizations and stakeholders seeking to steer the industry into the required transformation into the driver of Kenya’s economic development. The body was formed on the realization that the important sector is not as productive as it should be despite its massive potential in food security, industrial development, and job creation.
Joint strategy
ASNET brought together the national government, county governments, development partners, non-governmental organizations, and agriculture sector value chain players to craft a joint strategy to refocus and grow the industry into a global force.
Given his involvement in agriculture sector initiatives development and support, Dr. Kantaria was naturally picked by his peers to steer the structural formation of ASNET. The network has since gone regional, following the establishment of the Agriculture Confederation of East Africa, which seeks to negotiate with governments and businesses in the East Africa region to formulate a policy to support a seamless movement of goods across borders to spur agriculture development with the EAC borders. This effort, despite the EAC Heads of State Summit pledging since 2011 to spearhead a regional approach to agriculture development has not taken off but with ACEA, the dream is close to becoming realized. Dr. Kantaria is the chair of ACEA.
Among international organizations working with ASNET are the SDG Partnership of the UN – Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD). At the height of Covid-19 last year, Dr. Kantaria working with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance, Rotary International and the Kenya Flower Council formed the Caravan of Hope Initiative that delivered flowers to caregivers in Kenyan hospitals and the UK, to encourage first-line health workers as the virus crushed the world.
Kenya’s flower industry was among the most hit by global lockdowns and the flower donations were meant to give hope the world would bloom again. For his efforts, President Uhuru Kenyatta named him among the Uzalendo Award honors, given to exemplary supporters of the war against Covid-19.
Elgon Kenya donated food rations, hand sanitizers, and masks as its contribution to containing the spread of the virus. Dr. Kantaria is the patron of the annual National Farmers Awards that seeks to reward the country’s farming champions ranging from small enterprises to large commercial entities. The all-inclusive scheme recognizes women, persons with disabilities, and the youth. Winners have become icons, mentors, and model farmers, demystifying agribusiness as a career of choice. The awards have been recognized and earned a Presidential trophy. The scheme is supporting the recently revived 4K Clubs movement that seeks to reintroduce farming initiatives in Kenya’s primary schools and young
